Karma/Player Guide

This is a beginner-friendly guide for playing Karma. For full character details, see Karma.

Overview

Role in the Party: Versatile Shapeshifter, Support Caster & Battlefield Controller

Core Strengths:

• Transform into powerful beasts with Wild Shape (CR 1 creatures)
• Access to one of the largest spell lists in the game
• Can heal, control, and damage with spells
• Extreme versatility - can adapt to any situation
• Tabaxi racial abilities (climbing, claws, speed burst)
• Elemental Fury for bonus damage in Wild Shape

Key Stats to Know:

• AC: ~15 normally (varies wildly in Wild Shape)
• HP: ~44 normally (but you get beast HP when Wild Shaped!)
• Spell Save DC: ~15 (enemies roll vs this for your spells)
• Spell Attack Bonus: +7 (when you need to roll to hit with spells)
• Wild Shape Uses: 2 per short rest (can transform twice)
• Spell Slots: 4/3/3/1 (1st through 4th level)

COMBAT - What Can I Do On My Turn?

Your Turn (Main Action)

1. Wild Shape Into a Beast (THE BIG ONE)

• Action: Transform into a beast you've seen before
• CR Limit: Up to CR 1 (brown bear, dire wolf, giant spider, giant toad, etc.)
• Duration: Hours equal to half your druid level (3 hours at level 7)
• HP Advantage: You gain the beast's HP as temporary HP

 * Example: Brown Bear has 34 HP - you get 34 extra HP on top of your normal 44!

• You keep: Your mental stats (Int, Wis, Cha), personality, skill/save proficiencies if better
• You gain: Beast's physical stats (Str, Dex, Con), attacks, special abilities, AC, movement

Popular Wild Shape Forms:

Brown Bear (Tank):

• AC 11, HP 34, Speed 40 ft, climb 30 ft
• Multiattack: Bite (+5, 1d8+4) and Claws (+5, 2d6+4)
• Average damage: 13 per turn
• Special: Keen Smell (advantage on Perception checks using smell)
• When to use: Frontline tanking, absorbing damage

Dire Wolf (Damage & Control):

• AC 14, HP 37, Speed 50 ft
• Bite: +5 to hit, 2d6+3 piercing
• Pack Tactics: Advantage on attacks if ally within 5 ft of target
• Knockdown: Target must save (DC 13) or be knocked prone
• When to use: High damage, helping allies, chasing enemies

Giant Spider (Control & Utility):

• AC 14, HP 26, Speed 30 ft, climb 30 ft
• Bite: +5 to hit, 1d8+3 piercing + 2d8 poison (DC 11 Con save)
• Web: Ranged attack, restrains target (DC 12 Str check to escape)
• Spider Climb: Walk on walls and ceilings
• Web Sense: Detect creatures touching your webs
• When to use: Crowd control, climbing challenges, lockdown

Giant Toad (Utility):

• AC 11, HP 39, Speed 20 ft, swim 40 ft
• Bite: +4 to hit, 1d10+2 piercing + grapple
• Swallow: Grappled target can be swallowed (takes acid damage)
• Standing Leap: 20 ft long jump, 10 ft high jump
• When to use: Water environments, removing enemies from combat

2. Cast a Spell (Druid Spell List)

Offensive Spells:

• Thorn Whip (cantrip) - 2d6 piercing, pull target 10 feet closer
• Produce Flame (cantrip) - 2d8 fire, ranged or melee
• Thunderwave (1st) - 15-ft cube, 2d8 thunder, push 10 feet
• Ice Knife (1st) - Ranged attack, 1d10 piercing + 2d6 cold AoE
• Flaming Sphere (2nd) - Create a rolling ball of fire, 2d6 fire per turn
• Heat Metal (2nd) - Make metal object burn, 2d8 fire + disadvantage on attacks
• Call Lightning (3rd) - Call down lightning bolts, 3d10 damage per bolt, lasts 10 minutes
• Conjure Animals (3rd) - Summon 8 CR 1/4 beasts (wolves, giant bats, etc.)

Control Spells:

• Entangle (1st) - 20-ft square, restrain creatures (Str save to escape each turn)
• Faerie Fire (1st) - Outline creatures in light, attacks have advantage
• Hold Person (2nd) - Paralyze a humanoid (Wis save)
• Spike Growth (2nd) - 20-ft radius difficult terrain, 2d4 damage per 5 feet moved
• Plant Growth (3rd) - Make 100-ft radius difficult terrain (quadruple movement cost)
• Sleet Storm (3rd) - 40-ft radius difficult terrain, Dex save or fall prone

Healing Spells:

• Cure Wounds (1st) - Heal 1d8+4
• Healing Word (1st, bonus action) - Heal 1d4+4 at range (60 ft)
• Lesser Restoration (2nd) - Cure disease or condition
• Revivify (3rd) - Bring dead creature back to life (if dead <1 minute)

Utility Spells:

• Goodberry (1st) - Create 10 berries, each heals 1 HP
• Pass Without Trace (2nd) - +10 bonus to Stealth for whole party for 1 hour
• Locate Animals or Plants (2nd, ritual) - Find specific creature or plant type

3. Melee Attack (if not Wild Shaped or spellcasting)

• Claws (Tabaxi): 1d4+2 slashing (when not holding weapons)
• Quarterstaff: +5 to hit, 1d6+2 bludgeoning (or 1d8+2 two-handed)
• Generally weaker than Wild Shape or spells - avoid if possible

4. Elemental Fury (Circle of the Moon Feature)

• When in Wild Shape, you can use a bonus action to deal extra damage
• Once per turn when you hit with an attack, add 1d6 cold, fire, or lightning damage
• Example: Dire Wolf bite (2d6+3) + Elemental Fury (1d6 cold) = 3d6+3 damage

Bonus Actions

• Wild Shape: Transform into a beast (can do this twice per short rest)
• Healing Word: Heal an ally at range (1d4+4)
• Feline Agility (Tabaxi): Double your speed for one turn (recharge when you don't move)
• Elemental Fury: Add 1d6 elemental damage to an attack (in Wild Shape)
• Flaming Sphere: Move the sphere and ram a creature (if spell is active)

Reactions

• Opportunity Attack: When enemy leaves your reach
• Cat's Reflexes (Tabaxi): Potentially advantage on Dex saves (depends on build)

Passive Abilities (Always On)

• Wild Shape: Transform into beasts for combat or utility
• Cat's Claws: Climbing speed of 20 feet, claws for unarmed strikes
• Darkvision: See in dim light as bright, darkness as dim (60 feet)
• Feline Agility: Can double speed once (recharges when stationary)
• Ritual Casting: Cast ritual spells without using spell slots
• Timeless Body: Age more slowly (at level 10)

SOCIAL SITUATIONS - How Can I Interact?

Skill Proficiencies:

• Perception: +7 (great for spotting hidden things, probably highest in party)
• Survival: +7 (tracking, foraging, navigating wilderness)
• Insight: +7 (reading people and detecting lies)
• Medicine: +7 (stabilizing dying creatures, diagnosing illness)
• Animal Handling: +7 (calming and controlling animals)
• Nature: +7 (knowledge of plants, animals, weather, terrain)
• Stealth: Moderate (boosted to +10 with Pass Without Trace)

Special Abilities:

• Wild Shape: Transform into animals to go unnoticed

 * Examples: Cat to sneak into a house, mouse to hide, bird to scout from above

• Speak with Animals: Cast as ritual to talk with beasts
• Beast Speech: Always-on ability to understand and speak with animals (if you took this)
• Cat's Talent (Tabaxi): Proficiency in Perception and Stealth

Roleplay Strengths:

• Deep connection with nature and animals
• Can transform to solve non-combat problems
• Wise advisor and healer
• Member of Emerald Enclave - protector of nature
• Tabaxi curiosity and agility

EXPLORATION - How Can I Help Outside Combat?

Skills for Exploration:

• Survival: +7 (best tracker in party - finding trails, foraging, navigation)
• Perception: +7 (passive likely 17) - excellent for spotting danger and hidden things
• Nature: +7 - identifying plants, animals, environmental hazards
• Medicine: +7 - treating injuries and illness during travel

Special Abilities:

• Wild Shape: Transform for travel and exploration

 * Flying forms (later): Scout from above
 * Swimming forms: Giant toad for underwater exploration
 * Climbing forms: Giant spider to scale walls
 * Tiny forms: Mouse to squeeze through small spaces

• Cat's Claws: 20 ft climb speed naturally
• Pass Without Trace: Give entire party +10 to Stealth for 1 hour (AMAZING for sneaking)
• Speak with Animals: Get information from local wildlife

Utility Spells:

• Detect Magic: Find magical auras (cast as ritual)
• Detect Poison and Disease: Identify hazards (cast as ritual)
• Purify Food and Drink: Make food safe to eat (ritual)
• Locate Animals or Plants: Find specific creatures or plants (ritual)
• Goodberry: Create emergency food that also heals

Movement:

• Speed: 30 feet normally (60 feet with Feline Agility for one turn)
• Climb Speed: 20 feet (from Cat's Claws)
• Wild Shape: Varies by form (Dire Wolf 50 ft, Brown Bear 40 ft)

Other Abilities:

• Darkvision: See in darkness (60 ft)
• Ritual Casting: Cast many spells without using spell slots (if you have time)

RESOURCE MANAGEMENT

Resource	Total Available	Recharges On
Wild Shape Uses	2 uses	Short or Long Rest
Spell Slots (1st)	4 slots	Long Rest
Spell Slots (2nd)	3 slots	Long Rest
Spell Slots (3rd)	3 slots	Long Rest
Spell Slots (4th)	1 slot	Long Rest
Feline Agility	Recharges when you don't move	Every turn (conditional)

Important Notes:

• Wild Shape recharges on SHORT rest - use it liberally!
• When Wild Shaped, you have a separate HP pool (beast HP)
• Ritual spells can be cast without using spell slots (takes 10 extra minutes)
• Your spell slots are your main limitation - use Wild Shape for combat when possible
• Elemental Fury is unlimited - use it every turn in Wild Shape

COMMON TACTICS

1. The Tank-Caster Combo (Versatile Combat)

• Round 1: Cast concentration spell (Entangle, Call Lightning, Flaming Sphere)
• Round 2: Wild Shape into Brown Bear (tank form)
• Maintain concentration on your spell while attacking in bear form
• Why: You get to control the battlefield AND be a frontline tank
• Remember: If you take damage, make concentration check!

2. The Alpha Wolf (Pack Leader)

• Cast Faerie Fire or Entangle to control enemies
• Wild Shape into Dire Wolf
• Attack with Pack Tactics (advantage when allies nearby)
• Use Elemental Fury for extra 1d6 damage
• Knock enemies prone with bite attack
• Damage per turn: 2d6+3+1d6 = ~13 damage with advantage and prone
• Why: High damage, mobility, and you give allies advantage on prone enemies

3. The Healer-Controller (Support Focus)

• Stay in normal form
• Cast control spells: Entangle, Hold Person, Spike Growth
• Use Healing Word (bonus action) to heal allies without losing your action
• Cast Cure Wounds when someone needs big healing
• Keep Pass Without Trace active for party stealth
• Why: Maximize your spellcasting to support the party

4. The Artillery Druid (Sustained AoE Damage)

• Round 1: Cast Call Lightning (3rd level) - lasts 10 minutes, concentration
• Each turn: Call down a lightning bolt (3d10 damage, 60 ft range) as an action
• Wild Shape into Dire Wolf with bonus action
• Total damage per turn: 3d10 lightning (your action) + 2d6+3 bite (if you Wild Shaped previous turn)
• Why: Massive sustained damage for up to 10 rounds

5. The Scout (Information Gathering)

• Wild Shape into small/flying creature (cat, bird, spider)
• Scout enemy positions without being noticed
• Return and report to party
• Transform back before combat starts
• Why: Perfect stealth and mobility, can access areas others can't

6. The Emergency Tank (HP Sponge)

• When low on HP in combat
• Wild Shape into Brown Bear as bonus action
• Instantly gain 34 temporary HP
• Continue fighting
• When bear form dies, you revert to normal form with your original HP
• Why: Effectively gives you ~80+ HP total (your HP + beast HP)

QUICK REFERENCE

On Your Turn, Usually Do One Of These:

1. Wild Shape into combat form (Dire Wolf/Brown Bear) → Attack with beast abilities
2. Cast control spell (Entangle, Hold Person, Spike Growth) to lock down enemies
3. Cast Call Lightning → Rain down lightning each turn for 10 minutes
4. Cast Healing Word (bonus action) → Cast offensive spell or attack
5. Stay in Wild Shape → Attack + Elemental Fury (bonus action)

Best Spell Preparation Strategy:

• Always prepare: Healing Word, Cure Wounds, Entangle, Pass Without Trace
• Combat control: Hold Person, Spike Growth, Faerie Fire
• Damage: Call Lightning, Conjure Animals, Flaming Sphere
• Utility: Speak with Animals, Detect Magic, Goodberry

Bonus Action Options (Pick One Per Turn):

• Wild Shape: Transform into a beast
• Healing Word: Heal an ally at range
• Feline Agility: Double your speed
• Elemental Fury: Add 1d6 damage to attack (in Wild Shape)
• Flaming Sphere: Move your fire ball

Remember:

• Wild Shape gives you TWO HP pools - use it when hurt to reset HP
• You can cast spells BEFORE Wild Shaping and maintain concentration
• You CANNOT cast spells while Wild Shaped (except at higher levels)
• Ritual spells don't use spell slots - use them freely out of combat
• Pass Without Trace gives whole party +10 Stealth - use before sneaking
• Elemental Fury costs nothing - use it every turn in Wild Shape
• Your beast forms can do things you can't: climb walls (spider), swim (toad), track (wolf)
• You can Wild Shape TWICE per short rest - don't be afraid to use it

Wild Shape Quick Reference:

• Brown Bear: Tanking (34 HP, AC 11)
• Dire Wolf: Damage + mobility (37 HP, AC 14, 50 ft speed)
• Giant Spider: Control + climbing (26 HP, AC 14, web attack)
• Giant Toad: Grappling + swimming (39 HP, AC 11, swallow)